Ten Things You Need to Know Today: Friday 18 Jul 2014

1. QUESTIONS GROW OVER DOWNED JET

World leaders are demanding answers after a Malaysia Airlines flight was apparently blown out of the sky over Ukraine, killing all 298 people on board. The Ukrainian government and US intelligence believe a surface-to-air missile brought the plane down. Both sides in Ukraine's conflict have accused each other of shooting down the plane with a missile.

Missile that downed MH17 came from Russia, investigation rules

2. ISRAEL BEGINS GROUND OP IN GAZA

The Israeli army has begun a ground offensive against Hamas militants in Gaza, escalating its ten-day-old military operation. Troops and tanks were sent into Gaza last night to deal "a significant blow to Hamas", Israel said. However, a Hamas spokesman warned Israel would "pay a high price" for its actions. Overnight, an Israeli soldier was killed and five were wounded.

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What can Israel gain from a Gaza ground offensive?

3. SCHOOL PROBE FINDS ISLAMIST AGENDA

An inquiry into 25 schools in Birmingham investigated over an alleged "Trojan Horse" plot has found evidence there was an agenda to introduce "an intolerant and aggressive Islamist ethos" into some Birmingham schools. The report, compiled by former counter-terrorism chief Peter Clarke, was due to be officially released today.

4. 'MANY DEAD' IN BOKO HARAM ATTACK

Scores of people are feared dead in north-east Nigeria after Islamist gunmen from Boko Haram attacked the town of Damboa. The assault apparently took place on Thursday night and lasted for several hours. Much of the town was destroyed and is now said to be deserted with survivors fleeing to neighbouring towns in Borno province.

5. LLOYD-WEBBER: ‘I CONSIDERED SUICIDE’

Andrew Lloyd-Webber considered joining Dignitas during a bout of depression, he tells the Daily Telegraph. The West End impresario considered the move in the wake of a series of operations. He now considers that taking his own life would have been “stupid and ridiculous”. He adds that he will oppose plans to legalise assisted dying.

Assisted dying bill: MPs reject 'right to die'

6. TEMPERATURES SOAR ABOVE 30C

Temperatures climbed beyond 30C in parts of the UK today as the heatwave continued. The Met Office issued an alert covering southern England and the Midlands and public officials say elderly people and those with long-term illnesses should take particular care. Earlier there were thousands of lightning strikes as storms swept the country.

UK heatwave: the best sunburn remedies

7. JESSICA ENNIS-HILL HAS BABY BOY

Olympic heptathlon champion Jessica Ennis-Hill has given birth to a baby boy, named Reggie. She announced the new arrival on Twitter. Ennis-Hill who married Andy Hill last year was the poster-girl of the 2012 Olympics and hopes to defend her title in Rio in two years time. She is not competing in the Commonwealth Games which start next week.

8. BERLUSCONI WINS RUBY SEX CASE APPEAL

Silvio Berlusconi, the former prime minister of Italy, has had his conviction for sex with an underage prostitute overturned. A Milan court found that he had not, after all, paid to have sex with Karima El-Mahroug, a 17-year-old nightclub dancer known as "Ruby the Heartstealer". Berlusconi is performing community service for tax fraud.

9. MICHAEL GOVE ‘GOT STUCK IN THE LOO’

Oh dear, what can the matter be? The new chief whip got stuck in a lavatory. Michael Gove endured a tricky first day in the job, according to shadow Commons leader Angela Eagle. She told the House: "I'd like to welcome Mr Gove... he hasn't had the most auspicious of starts. Yesterday, he not only lost his first vote but he managed to get stuck in the toilet.”

Day of the long knives: why Michael Gove had to go

10. HOT TICKET: PLANET OF THE APES SEQUEL

American science fiction film Dawn of the Planet of the Apes has opened in UK cinemas. The follow up to Rise of Planet of the Apes sees the fragile peace between evolved apes and human survivors of a deadly virus threatened by mutual mistrust and revenge. "Impressively un-stupid," says the Daily Telegraph.

Dawn of the Planet of the Apes – reviews of sci-fi sequel